Price of a medal

When it comes to sports, talent and hard work go hand in hand. While talent serves as a foundation, it takes a lot more for sportspersons to make it big. Discipline and dedication are important; they need to follow a rigid diet and a good fitness regime. Mental agility is also crucial so that when the moment arrives, they are able to seize it and give it their 100 per cent.

Most of the top people in sports — the likes of Virat Kohli, Sania Mirza, P.V. Sindhu, M.S. Dhoni and many others — will admit it is backbreaking labour they have put in day after day, year after year, that got them to where they are today.

Batsman Rohit Sharma, who holds the record of scoring the highest runs in ODI, credits his hard work, and not talent, when asked about his special ability to score big in the demanding shorter formats of cricket. “Talent can only take you to a certain level. For me, whenever I have batted, I never thought I’m talented and can achieve anything. I have always felt that when I go into bat, it’s the hard practice that will bring me success,” Rohit had said.

Suresh Raina often posts videos of him rigorously sweating it out in the gym

A recent video posted by cricketer Suresh Raina on his social media account is proof that no matter how talented a player is, he/she has to constantly work hard to retain their position in the team. Raina is struggling hard to make a comeback into Team India.

“Hard work is very important,” feels the skipper of the Indian women’s cricket team, Mithali Raj. “A person may be talented, but if the correct amount of hard work isn’t put in, then he/she won’t be able to develop that talent and the potential will be wasted.”  

Speaking about her practice sessions, Mithali says, “I go through intense practice sessions before any tournament. I practise for about five to six hours a day and my training is not just for physical fitness, but also for my mind.”

Dutee Chand sprints her way to the finish line

For many athletes, training and practice are an integral part of their daily lives. Whether there is a tournament or not, they dedicate hours daily towards bettering their game. Indian professional sprinter and current national champion in the women’s 100 metres event, Dutee Chand, who recently received the Biju Patnaik Sports Award, feels her day is incomplete without at least four hours of training.

“I think both talent and hard work are important for any sportsperson. If parents or teachers don’t pay attention to a kid’s education, no matter how sharp his or her brain is, the kid wouldn’t be successful. Similarly, if adequate fitness training is not put in, an athlete cannot win a tournament just on the basis of talent,” says Dutee, who trains for longer hours before a tournament.

P.T. Usha

Badminton player Srikanth Kidambi, who recently brought many laurels home, also makes sure that he goes for two training sessions (around six hours) on a daily basis, with only Sunday being an off day for him. “One might be talented, but his or her techniques may not be right and this is where regular practice comes into picture. There is always room for improvement and hard work bridges the gap between talent and success,” says Srikanth.

P.R. Sondhi

A passion for the sport is something that is common to all athletes and players. Their undivided commitment and dedication not only helps them achieve success, but is also a source of strength for them. Talking about how dedication and hard work are the key to success, paralympic javelin thrower and the first para-athlete to be awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Devendra Jhajharia, says, “Being talented is not an achievement, it’s a matter of luck. What if my opponent is more talented than I am? If you ask me, I would say being talented is not needed. It a person’s dedication towards working hard that matters. I put in nearly seven hours a day in my practice and if I am in a national camp or preparing for a tournament, that increases.”

Dipika Pallikal

So while talent plays an important role in getting someone started with a sport, it’s the labour that pays off. After all, you don’t just get a medal; you have to earn it.

With inputs from Dyuti Basu